CITYWIDE NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTNERSHIPS 7th February 2015 9.30am – 4pm Circomedia St Paul’s Church Portland Square
What is planning – how can you influence outcomes • Planning is a statutory system • Governed by the Planning Acts • Full of process, rules and legislation! • National Planning Policy Framework • National Planning Practice Guidance • Bristol Development Plan • Local planning advice and guidance • Planning Applications • S106 • Community Infrastructure Levy • But you can get involved and influence outcomes…..
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Local Plan preparation processes: • you can get involved with influencing the content of policy and site proposals in formal documents for the period to 2026: Core Strategy Site Allocations and Development Management Central Area Plan
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • How has community involvement made a difference? • Core Strategy • Detail of tree policy, sustainable energy policy, affordable housing policy, houses in multiple occupation • Site Allocations and Development Management Policies • Green spaces • Site specific information • Central Area Plan • Details on individual sites, • Historic value of sites and character of areas • Castle Park detail
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Local Plan preparation processes: Core Strategy Site Allocations and Development Management Central Area Plan • These stages now almost complete, many will have been involved and helped to shape where we are – you’ll be pleased to know it doesn’t stop there….
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Review! • Success of housing policies • delivering current and likely future demand • accommodating employment needs for our future • So… • Looking to needs of our communities in 2036 • in Bristol…. • and adjoining authorities
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Introducing …. • the WoE Joint Strategic Planning Strategy • housing numbers for the West of England • spatial distribution of growth for housing and employment and critical infrastructure • A full statutory document, part of the Development Plan for Bristol (and WoE UAs) • With community engagement in its preparation
Timetable for JSPS preparation Plan phase Time period Stage Commitment to joint March 2014 Memorandum of working Understanding agreed. Plan preparation December 2014 Pre-commencement document published (Reg 18) Autumn 2014-Summer Assessment of evidence 2015 base; gap analysis; undertaking of additional studies; initial identification of spatial options. Summer 2015-Autumn Consideration of, and 2015 consultation on, issues and spatial options. Autumn 2015 to end 2015 Preparation of draft spatial strategy Spring 2016 Consultation on Submission document (Reg 19/20) Examination Summer 2016 Submission (Reg 22) Autumn 2016 Examination hearings (Reg 24/25) Adoption Spring 2017 Adoption (Reg 26)
JSPS Getting involved - Pre-commencement document • What, why and when… • opportunity to comment on the scope and content of the JSPS by 6th March 2015 http://www.westofenglandlep.co.uk/jointstrategicplanningstrategy Evidence • Call for sites by 6th March 2015 • http://bristol-city.gov.uk/page/planning-and-building-regulations/call- sites-housing-and-economic-land-availability-assessment
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Neighbourhood Development Plans • What Localism Act 2011, Statutory part of Development Plan • Who Designated Neighbourhood Planning Forums and Areas • Why Shape and enable development for the Neighbourhood area
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • Where • Lockleaze • Redcliffe Way • Lawrence Weston • Old Market • Knowle West
Influencing planning – in the plan preparation process • How - resources • How long? - variable…. • Old Market – submitted!!! May 2013 - Jan 2015 • Lawrence Weston –first draft consultation May 2013 - Feb 2015 • Lockleaze – first draft consultation July 2012 – Feb 2015
Influencing planning policy? working through the Neighbourhood Partnerships • Residents Planning Groups • Neighbourhood Planning Groups as sub- groups of Neighbourhood Partnerships • Neighbourhood Planning Forums under the Localism Act • Future expectation that these will be directly linked to the relevant Neighbourhood Partnership • Statutory consultees? • No but….
When is the best time to get involved in planning decisions? • Before policy or planning applications are decided, during the period when options are being considered • and the preferred option is developed into a final design or policy. • For Planning Applications this is at the Pre Planning Application stage.
Why engage in pre application community involvement? Advantages for the Community: • It is an opportunity for the community to tell the developer about things that they want in their area, • This can include the types of development eg family houses, or particular wishes for the site eg a route through it or specific building materials Advantages for the Developer: • The developer can learn from the community about the area and the site , and which aspects of his proposed development are going to cause the most opposition and can decide whether to redesign or bluff it out!
How to engage in pre application community involvement 1 As soon as the opportunity presents itself. • A developer is on a tight programme ; he will not stop his development design programme until the community is ready to meet him. • It is therefore essential that the community has a group ready and willing to meet at the earliest opportunity . Planning groups should have the experience of previous planning cases in the area, often on the site in question, and should be able to mobilise a couple of members to meet the developer quickly .
How to engage in pre application community involvement 2 In the most effective way. • Negotiation is most likely to work when a small number of people talk together in a reasonable way. Large numbers of protesters shouting at a developer will not persuade him to make any concessions; a couple of people talking reasonably might. It is also more likely to work if the community has the experience of previous planning cases to draw on and can use their experience and the evidence that they have of similar cases to show that they know what they are talking about.
How to engage in pre application community involvement 3 Throughout the design development process period. • It is good practice to have a series of meetings , especially if the proposed development is large or complex, as the design is developed. To be effective, this must be with the same set of people . It is important that all participants attend the same meetings rather than have separate meetings. This allows everyone to hear each other’s views and stops the developer picking and choosing from different responses as it suits him.
Who will be most effective in pre application community discussions ? • A group of people who know what issues there are in their area, can talk to the developer about how his development might respond to those issues, who understand some design and planning principles and the planning process , and be able to read architectural drawings will be the most effective community group for a developer to talk to at the pre application stage. A group that has defined their own area or neighbourhood that its members are most concerned about and interested in
How to find out about development at pre application stage • All councillors and the NPN administrators are sent lists of ‘ pre application enquiries ’ to BCC, as the local planning authority, each week. This is when a developer applies to BCC for ‘in principle’ guidance on a development proposal. • The NPN administrators contact the local NPN planning group and the developer to put them in touch with each other and tell the developer about the pre application process in Bristol with all the information they need about the SCI and the Guidelines . • Not all developers make ‘ pre application enquiries ’, preferring to go straight to application stage. In this case, they may contact NPN direct to ask the administrators to identify the relevant community groups to approach.
How could NPs get involved at pre app stage? • Neighbourhood Partnerships and Forums usually meet on a 3 monthly cycle, often with different people at each meeting. • So usually neither of these meetings can work to the developer’s programme nor comply with the SCI groundrules on continuity . However, NPs could invite developers to exhibit the drawings or models at pre application or at planning application stage at Neighbourhood Forums This is not effective as ‘community involvement’ but can be useful as information sharing .
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